The Chronicles: Three Sisters 16

- "I've chosen not to kill you all." I said. "The babe is innocent. To deprive the boy of his mother would be needlessly cruel. But you, Iduallon - and you, Prosquetel ... you've used your devotion to the Duchess to avoid helping anyone else."

"That ends today. I will feed the babe, and the Duchess. But if you two wish to eat, then you'll have to work, just like everyone else."

"I won't expel you, either. That would be a virtual death sentence. So you may remain until the spring. And then you should seriously consider leaving the Vale - because if you fall foul of me once more, I will not be so merciful."

"Gerimir - you may stay as long as you like. I have no quarrel with you."

"That is my judgment." I said. "Does anyone else wish to speak?"

- "I do." said my wife. Sulcen stepped forward. Then she cleared her throat, and spat on the ground, between me and the Lowlanders.

I saw Prosquetel looking thoughtful, as if he might try to win over some of the people gathered here. But my daughter beat him to it.

- "I wish to speak." said Yevna.

She stepped forward, and stared at each of the Lowlanders in turn.

"The only reason I'm not killing you now is because my father forbade it".

"If anything should happen to my father, Duchess ... anything - if he should trip and fall - then you'd better hope that he recovers. Because if he dies, I'll put an arrow through Iduallon's head. Then Prosquetel's. And then yours."

"I'll spare Gerimir - at first - because my sister swears that he's a decent man. But the rest of you? You've taken our hospitality, and you can sit here and plan to murder my father? I'll kill every single one of you."

- "You wouldn't dare." hissed the Duchess.

Yevna laughed. "I would. In a heartbeat." she said. "And if you found some way to kill me, and make it look like an accident ... you'd still have to deal with Nameless, and a host of others."

"Let me make it very simple for you: kill my father, and none of you will ever leave the Vale alive. I'll throw your corpses in the latrine. Except for the babe - he'll grow up to be an Upland shepherd."

No one chose to speak after Yevna had finished.

*****

[1] Weans: wee ones. Small children.